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I think JT can beat Hisamitsu with Kitsui and Shibata, and if Brankica would quit with the Euro fake-pissed drama pout act. It's a waste of resources. Hisamitsu gets their second wind early and goes on cruise control. Passion is the only way to beat that. But it has to be passion filled with joy

The two girl team is calling the Hitachi/Denso game so I'm watching that one I enjoy Watching Arisa Sato. Fortunately she gets an inordinate amount of screen time. She must be a media darling. Watanabe and Kurihara aren't playing.

Sat 02 Dec 2017 Results

Game of the night was going to be JT v Hisamitsu but hopes were dashed. I think Kotoe Inoue speaks English and is able to communicate with Brankica that way. I see them talking often during timeouts. Last night, around the second technical timeout of the first set, Brankica hit one out of bounds (after landing some good attacks), and Inoue had to console the little crybaby. JT went on to take the first set but the game was over for me at that point. JT was in control of the second set but choked at the end. They simply sucked after that.
Hitachi v Denso after that seemed like a minor league game. Nabeya played okay, Captain Ishida had a better game than usual, but the number of times Denso stood there and watched the ball hit the ground while everyone is thinking "I thought you were going to get it" was absurd. I don't get why twenty-one y/o #3 OH Nanaka Sakamoto is getting so much playing time this year. She's supposedly some of the cream of the crop of youngsters and I guess Denso wants to see develop her into something better than 8/36, a couple service errors, and letting serves that come right to her bounce off her hands. Hitachi almost blew it at the end. 13-11 in the Tie-Break they make an attack the ref calls out. Hitachi challenges, and while we wait the ridiculously long time they take to do challenges, the video replay shows a couple Denso players assaulting the net. But Hitachi challenged on block touch. Oops! Hitachi got lucky. At 13-13 Denso served into the net.

NEC v Toray was super amateur hour. Nobody on either team played well. For Toray, Horikawa=7/27, Love After Dark=5/25. NEC's Koga=5/28, Yanagita=4/13. MB Ueno had 4 service errors. #13 Misaki Yamauchi is not even listed on the stat sheet, so whatever she did to her ankle last week is probably going to keep her out for a while Twenty y/o OH #12 Nanami Hirose is getting minutes lately, playing average. I really like her style--she plays taller than she is--but she is too consistent in making unnecessary errors. Maybe more playing time will improve on that?

I haven't watched Toyota v Ageo yet. I love Neriman, but 37/86 (12/33 from the back), against Ageo's Carcaces going 31/76 sounds boring--even in a 5set.

I know Mihajlovic got upset with some calls, at least she smiled a few times and was kind energetic, I just don`t expect her to keep up with that today, seams like she`s able to smile only one game a week lol.

Vowww 33 backrows attack is a lottttt, poor Neriman.

I think next week is the last round of the year and then they will take a holiday break and start again in January.

There is no gray area with Brankica. She's hot or cold, up or down, winning or losing. Nothing in between. That's why I love her and hate her. She requires it. There is no being indifferent to Brankica! Lots of superheroes are like this. I truly believe Brankica can put this team on her back and laugh with them all the way to the bank. But the drama downer fits are counter-productive. They are for losers. No one who's winning gets all pouty and upset about it.

The incident I mentioned lasted the length of a heartbeat, but spoke volumes. Kotoe recognized the transgression, recognized its importance, and did her duty, treating her like one would a child who hasn't learned the ways of this cruel world yet. Brankica had some wonderful, fleeting moments after it, but the wind was out of the sails.

After next week is winter break. The Empress's Cup, whatever that is, is played around xmas.

It is a single elimination tournament that is open to prefectural winners (which can be a high school, university or company team) and the top level professional teams.This tournament is similar to the FA cup in England (which started all of these "open" cup competitions). The teams that win the prefecture tournaments then get to a "Block tournament" which groups them into regions and then the regional winners advance to the "Final Round", which is a 24 teams, the top V.League teams are seeded into the 2nd round (round of 16), while the V. League teams in the Challenger Leagues have had to qualify. Final Round tournament is played over two weeks in Tokyo, because even the top teams players have to get back to work on Monday.

It is a single elimination tournament that is open to prefectural winners (which can be a high school, university or company team) and the top level professional teams.This tournament is similar to the FA cup in England (which started all of these "open" cup competitions). The teams that win the prefecture tournaments then get to a "Block tournament" which groups them into regions and then the regional winners advance to the "Final Round", which is a 24 teams, the top V.League teams are seeded into the 2nd round (round of 16), while the V. League teams in the Challenger Leagues have had to qualify. Final Round tournament is played over two weeks in Tokyo, because even the top teams players have to get back to work on Monday.

LOL Thanks, brahmin I think I wrote in one of my first posts here on the forum that volleyball seemed like a weirdly complex sport in terms of tournaments, scheduling, qualifications, and significance. I rest my case

But honestly, I think, as an american who grew up on Major League Baseball and it's straightforward, nothing on the margins approach to what matters, I'm simply disadvantaged. For the rest of the world who grew up on Football (american's call soccer) I bet this is normal, and easily digestible.

Sun 03 Dec 2017 Results

After Saturday's fiasco of Volleyball, Sunday's games were all fun and well-played (for the most part). Here are the facts:

1. Arisa Sato is a libero god
2. If Hitachi OH #13 Miwako Osanai isn't the next U21 player called up and groomed for the NT there is no justice in the world
3. Hisae Watanabe is the only Japanese player I've seen make this face:
4. Cursty Jackson should always wear her hair out rather than bunned up
5. Hitachi is not even close to being as bad as their W-L would indicate
6. At 5-8, NEC has the best coach in Japan (JT's coach is a very close second. I know neither of their names)
7. If NEC wanted to win games they would play Shimamura instead of Ueno. (Playing Hitachi or Ageo doesn't count)
8. The Sleepy Sisters (minus one) are silent assassins who shouldn't risk injury playing as much as they do
9. Foluke Akinradewo is the coolest looking volleyball player playing today
10. Neriman Gencyurek is the most beautifully athletic player in Japan
11. Yurie Nabeya is the established NT player showing growth and flashes of brilliance almost every game
12. Something is not quite right with Toray #20 Love After Dark but she is working it out
13. Mari Horikawa can be scary. Too bad she can't receive
14. Wearing one of your shoelaces for a headband is not a good look (Kaho Ōno, I'm looking at you)
15. JT Marvelous #1 Aika Akutagawa. Fact.
16. Before I ever heard her speak, I thought Brankica would sound like a man. I was wrong
17. Every team can have a bad day but JT is the only team who chokes
18. Ageo's Kenia Carcaces is an extreme net negative entertainment value
19. Ageo's coach is the closest thing Japan has to a Euro style Grumpy Old Man

NEC v Hitachi - Game of the night. NEC played really well the first set; Hitachi played really well the second; they both played well in the third and fourth sets but NEC ended up with more points. The camera was in love with NEC's #12 Nanami Hirose who's filling in for the injured Yamauchi. She has no confidence. She practices a lot of Zen breathing exercises and/but tends to look to her teammates to find out what's going on. I like her style, she seems to have good technique, but she makes too many errors. NEC's backup setter, #14 Shiori Tsukada, who's played the majority of minutes this season is a fine, fine setter. But Yamaguchi is better. She came in for the 3rd and 4th set and she's why NEC won this one. Hitachi's Watannabe didn't play until the fourth set. I took that as an "Okay, we could actually win this one if we try", but it didn't pan out. She was taken out less than halfway through the set. Osanai looked a lot better than her numbers indicate so I'm not going to share them.

Hisamitsu v Toyota - Good game. Both teams received well, but Hisamitsu received well-er: 66%->53%, and had a perfectly balanced attack among their attackers. Bottom line, Hisamitsu. What's an opposing team to do? Toyota's main setter #4 Over Gold Peaches didn't play (dunno why), Araki didn't play (dunno why--she's not even on the stat sheet) and Neriman had a less than stellar game (18/52). No harm no foul.

Toray v Denso - I can't keep track of who Denso has on court at any given time. I think they are using way more substitutions than are legally allowed. They only let the ball hit the floor a couple times thinking someone else was going to get it. Not bad, for them. It was a scrappy game without major highlights. Horikawa had 20 but looked like she had more.

JT v Ageo - JT #1 Aika Akutagawa==9 kills, 4 blocks. I mention her because nobody else ever has or probably ever will. She's rocking my world. But I'm worried about JT. They play their starting six, plus Kotoe Inoue flip-flopping with Kanasugi. That's it. They have three players on the bench who don't play. Somebody's going to get tired. Do they have anybody, anybody important, with a reputation of getting tired? Ageo didn't play that bad, Carcaces wagged her finger a few times.
Current Standings:

5. Hitachi is not even close to being as bad as their W-L would indicate

Really beg to differ. Worst points ratio in the league, they are -2.6 points per set to their opponents (using 48 point sets). 3 teams are within 7 points of even (1.000), Toray, Denso and NEC. That means you are a .500 team.
Hisamitsu is 4.85 points per set ahead of every one. JT at 1.14 is 2nd best. Right now, now one will catch Hisamitsu.

7. If NEC wanted to win games they would play Shimamura instead of Ueno. (Playing Hitachi or Ageo doesn't count)
Shimamura had to have some injury or just too much work with the national team and club.

9. Foluke Akinradewo is the coolest looking volleyball player playing today

Let alone she's a damn good player, should be the league MVP at this point in the season.

11. Yurie Nabeya is the established NT player showing growth and flashes of brilliance almost every game

Still might not be a starter with the national team though. Spark plug off the bench.

12. Something is not quite right with Toray #20 Love After Dark but she is working it out

First year player. Still learning the difference at the pro level.

13. Mari Horikawa can be scary. Too bad she can't receive

Opposites don't receive by coaches decision to play them as opposite. Teams essentially are three-person serve receive, and then a middle blocker to get the net cords in the front.

17. Every team can have a bad day but JT is the only team who chokes

Two losses to best team in the league, and two losses to others. League is much closer 2-6 than we realize.

We don't disagree that Hitachi's numbers are bad. I'm saying that if you watch them, they don't look like a group of yahoos who don't know what they are doing, making silly mistakes, etc. They are quite enjoyable to watch.

NEC has been playing setter Tsukada and MB Ueno (after a brief fling with Aratani) this year. If a game gets out of hand that they think they can salvage a win from they bring on Yamaguchi and Shimamura. Shimamura didn't play that much over the summer. I think she's playing a bit of a player-coach role--like Kotoe Inoue. But who knows? I just don't like Ueno and make up stuff to put her down

If you follow my posts here it's pretty clear I don't understand the receive OH/OP thing. So let me change that one to "Mari Horikawa can be scary. Too bad she's left handed".

To be fair to JT, they are the only team good enough to suffer a choke at this point, the only team capable of beating Hisamitsu. Both losses to Hisamitsu were chokes. They were in control of both games and lost their inner strength. I kid the Sleepy Sisters, Yuki and Risa, but damn. They have guts of steel.

[Edit to Add] The Gods of Irony (or karma) really laid one on me when Akinradewo, one of my favorite players, signed with Hisamitsu, my nemesis team.

This post has been edited 1 times, last edit by "sitenoise" (Dec 4th 2017, 4:11am)

It's hard to make it through the week waiting for Friday's games. I watched a couple Turkey League games with that team that starts with F that Nootsara plays for. They played against Zhu TIng and against Boskovic. I thought they would look a lot better than the Japanese teams, seeing that they are these world-wide all-star teams. Hisamitsu is probably the only Japanese team that could beat one of these Turkish monsters but they aren't that much better. They make mistakes too, and get blocked, and stuff. Really enjoyed seeing Natalia. Have always liked her. And of course Nootsara is super cute in the bumblebee outfit. I like the cut of the Turkish uniforms. More shoulder.

I updated the schedule/highlights post with up-to-date highlights of the V.League games. My buddy #1 Aika Akutagawa got a few words in at the end of the most recent JT game. I've heard her speak. My life is complete.

Something occurred to me about defending champs NEC: Left-handed MB Nami Sagawa also retired along with Akari Oumi this year. Sagawa was only 21. She was part of the magical team that won the 2016 Asian Club Championship (sans foreigner). She might have been able to help with the MB Ueno problem. Wonder what happened.

NEC has been playing setter #14 Shiori Tsukada most of the time this year. Her NEC google translated bio page uses the word "rookie". I can't find mention of her on any team's roster previous to this one. She's 23. Could this be her first year playing volleyball at this level? I think she's doing fine, but think Yamaguchi is better, and brings a little more floor leadership to the team--something that's critical after OUMI's departure, and with my pick for her replacement, #13 Misaki Yamauchi, a receiving OP, on the injured list. And Koga not bringing it. Oh well. I'm less concerned about NEC's losing ways than I am about them becoming un-fun to watch.

A sigh of relief is that #08 Mizuki Yanagita (C) is doing okay receiving some of the serves Yamauchi used to get. Yanagita's averaging about 20 receives a game, and with the exception of one bad game last week, is probably around 50% excellent. Not a disaster.

NEC gave 19 y/o OH/MB #16 Shiori Aratani a chance to play last night after disappearing her for most of the season. Nothing to write home about. I had hopes for her.

Denso played a tight lineup and it paid off. #22 Mizuho Ishida (C) played the entire game, contributing 22 points with 6 blocks. I think she is important: the ball tends to hit the floor less often with everyone looking like it was someone else's responsibility. I usually blame that on #3 Nanaka Sakamoto, as she is the only Japanese player I've ever seen stand around like she's on a coffee break during a play.

The highlight of the game was when Denso's setter, #17 Airi Tahara, used all her 161cm to barely get her entire hand above the net and Kill Block Koga (or Hirose, I couldn't tell). It was quite the scene. I thought she was going to wet her pants. She played almost the entire game instead of the usual dance of setters Denso does.

I couldn't tell you which one of Denso's four Liberos is on the court at any given time, but the backcourt was digging well all night, Nabeya had some great ones. In keeping with the tight lineup, the stat sheet says #9 Mikiha Junoha Oguchi (aka Small Mouth Leaves) played libero most of the game (16/25 excellents). I'm going to keep an eye on her.

Denso's been on a roller-coaster this season. I hope they stay with this tight lineup. Or maybe I shouldn't read anything into a win over NEC. I enjoyed the game.

Hisamitsu Springs v Toray Arrows ... 3–1 (22-25, 25-23, 25-19, 25-16)

#12 Yuka Imamura did most of the swinging (25/63) for Hisamitsu. Geez. And this isn't her first time. Are there any holes in that team? Toray played okay. Horikawa had 16, while Kadie and Love After Dark contributed 20 a piece. But if you take the first set against Hisamitsu, Hisamitsu just says "Not in my house", even if it's not their house*.

Yuki Ishii had 4 blocks.

*JT took the first two sets in a game earlier this year against Hisamitsu. Poetic license.

A couple sweeps that weren't too exciting and a couple tie-breakers that crescendoed to very exciting finishes.
JT v Toray - It's official. JT has added 21 y/o OH #11 Yuka Meguro to their lineup. She subbed sets 1&2 and started the 3rd. She scored a few points and received a few serves. The whole game was pretty limp. Toray had nothing in the tank. They received well but couldn't execute.

NEC v Hitachi - The first three sets were a chore to sit through, like the teams were battling for who could play more poorly than the other. I was ready to take off my rose colored glasses and give up on NEC, and then they came alive in the 4th. #12 Nanami Hirose was carried off the court in set 2, #16 Shiori Aratani took her place. As the third set headed for overtime the crowd, and the announcers (the 2-girl team), started really getting into it. Aratani took more than a set to warm up but she's responsible for crushing the 4th set. She ended with only 6 points but I think they were all in the 4th. Points are nice, but it's also important when you score them. Aratani energized the team. Setter Tsukada (who looked pretty tired by the end of this game) was using Kano Ono to the fullest. Ono ended with 18. This must have been an NEC home game because things were electric. Lots of fun, lots of long rallies that got everybody going. But it was against Hitachi, after all. And Hitachi played without Arisa or Watanabe. The latter was in the stands, out of uniform. Don't know what's up with her. Don't know how much of an achievement this is for NEC but it made me happy to go from disgust to love. Tall person Megumi Kurihara was back on the floor for Hitachi after a few games in the stands. I like her offense (14 pts, didn't play in the tie-break). Koga had 5 blocks and 4 service errors.

Hisamitsu v Toyota - Going into the tie-break it looked like Toyota had the momentum and was about to hand Hisamitsu their first loss. But it was not to be. Hisamitsu said "Not in my house" and crushed them in the final set. Yuki Ishii did the most damage for Hisamitsu -- 30 pts and good reception. Nomoto and Foluke had 20 a piece. This was another game that kind of flopped around until the 4th set. Neriman ended with 40 pts, but she also picked up the rest of the team, especially in the 4th. It was a great moment. Everyone was scrappy. It really looked like Toyota was going to take it.

Ageo v Denso - Didn't watch this one and probably won't ... after the the wonderful barn-burners described above.